"Still have to fetch it myself?"
"You're clearly not being sincere."
Taro narrowed his eyes, expression unfriendly.
This deity wasn't planning to trick him into entering the seal and then spring a trap… right?
Well, he couldn't rule it out.
"You… fine. Hand that spear to someone you trust, let them keep it aimed at me. You go in. If anything goes wrong, I'll take the fall for it.
Bring the thing out, and then you can dispel it.
Also, the Abyssal power lingering on Nibelungen's bones—you'd better not let it seep into Teyvat."
Ronova was fuming, but still forced herself to yield.
She was running out of patience, but what else could she do? She might want to snap back—but could she?
"Where's the seal?"
Taro relaxed his grip on Gungnir, but still kept his gaze locked on Ronova, not moving, waiting for her answer.
"..."
Watching this, Ronova almost laughed.
Even when letting go, he still didn't relax?
"It's inside."
As her voice fell, crimson light flickered.
Three rifts opened before Taro, a wave of Abyssal aura rushing out.
"Fine, wait here."
Taro flipped his left hand, Mjolnir appearing once more.
Without the slightest hesitation, he stepped into the rift.
Trying to ambush him?
He wasn't that easy to kill.
Whatever tricks they had, he wanted to see them all—might as well make it exciting.
The instant he stepped inside, a flood of deep violet mist surged at him—pure Abyssal energy.
Mjolnir flared with lightning.
Rumble!
A storm of thunderbolts filled the space, scattering the Abyssal aura.
With the mist gone, the sealed scene came into view—
A colossal dragon's corpse, bound tight by chains of law.
Its body stretched for at least fifty thousand zhang (tens of kilometers).
At a glance, anyone would think it a mountain range, not a corpse.
Even the Tianheng Mountains weren't as vast as this dragon's body.
It was said the Dragon King Azhdaha could shake mountains with a single step.
This elemental dragon, just turning in its sleep, could have crushed half of Liyue.
The scale wasn't even comparable.
"As expected of the Elemental Dragon King's leader."
"Long enough. Big enough. Useful enough."
Taro nodded in satisfaction.
How much material could be harvested from this?
Did it still have a dragon pearl? Any blood left?
Its tendons still intact? Bones?
Taro's figure flickered around the space, checking every detail.
After a moment, he nodded, satisfied.
The body was mostly complete.
Its vitality and soul were gone, but the remains were intact enough.
The horns were missing, three or four claws broken, the skull dented, the flesh marred by many wounds—but repairable.
Inside, it was saturated with Abyssal power—though that could be cleansed.
Death wasn't an issue for him.
This body would serve as material. Once it was used up… that would be that.
"These chains, I'll have to break myself?"
Looking at the law-chains binding the dragon corpse, Taro raised Mjolnir without hesitation.
"Smash!"
Crack!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
One after another, the chains shattered under Mjolnir's strikes, unable to hold for even a moment.
In just a short while, all the restraints on Nibelungen's bones lay broken.
When Mjolnir had its fun, Taro called it back lightly to his side.
Next, he pulled out a book from his inventory—
The Tome of Infinity.
One of the weakest "world-class" artifacts he possessed—weak only compared to the monstrous rest of them.
Its only function: sealing.
But even that, at its core, was still a fragment of a world.
"Seal!"
The pages opened, releasing a soft glow that wrapped around Nibelungen's bones.
Snap!
The book shut.
Once he was sure the Abyssal power wouldn't leak through the seal, Taro nodded.
He stored the book away, then scanned the surroundings.
Nothing else here.
Satisfied, he left the rift.
"Taro~"
Seeing him return, Morax and the adepti finally breathed easier.
No danger—good.
"Mm. I'm fine."
He nodded to them, lifting his hand.
At the same time, the deathly threat weighing on Ronova dissipated.
For the first time, she was free of death looming over her—and she finally relaxed.
"Descender, let this matter end here.
I ask only that you refrain from wantonly breaking Teyvat's order."
Ronova gave Taro one last, lingering look.
Leaving behind those soft words, she immediately fled.
Not one more second did she want to linger near him.
As for whether Taro listened? She didn't care.
She'd made up her mind: never again would she appear before this man.
After all—
The First Throne was wounded and near death.
Heavenly Principles slept.
The Sovereign of Time was elusive.
The Sovereign of Space guarded the skies.
The Sovereign of Life had vanished.
She was just a shut-in goddess of death.
Once Natlan's contract was finished, she'd withdraw.
Whoever wanted to deal with the mess, let them.
She was powerless anyway.
This world was too dangerous.
Watching Ronova leave, the gods present finally breathed out.
"Taro, that was insane!"
Venti was the first to speak, giving him a thumbs up.
That was one of the Original Four Shadows—and Taro handled her like nothing.
"Scared me half to death~"
Mavuika wiped the sweat from her brow, swearing outright:
"I thought it was over."
If anything happened to the Deity of Death, Natlan would've been doomed.
Those moments had her heart racing harder than the Archon War five hundred years ago.
"Sir…"
Yingda stepped forward, her face heavy with guilt.
Xiao too wore a troubled expression.
"This wasn't your fault."
Taro waved dismissively:
"From the start, Zhongli and I were already guarding against this.
None of us could've known when that woman would show.
Four times before, nothing happened.
That it did this time isn't on you."
"Taro speaks true."
Zhongli, clad in divine attire, nodded to them both.
"This was not your fault.
Take Minuo and Fanan back first.
The rest, I will handle."
"Yes, Rex Lapis!"
"Cloud Retainer, you and the others return to the Qixing.
Do not let rumors spread."
"Yes, Rex Lapis!"
With quick bows, the adepti departed toward Liyue Harbor.
"Zhongli, I'll go too.
They can't do without me."
Guizhong gave a nod to the rest, then left as well.
Now, only five remained:
Four gods—Electro, Pyro, Anemo, and Geo.
And Taro.
(End of Chapter)
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